Copper Algaecide? What to do?

[matso]

Hi everyone!

Last season I came across this forum about mid way through summer and haven't looked back since. I already had a Taylor K-2006 test kit becaused I'm a bit of a nerd that way, but this site helped me feel confident about relying on my own test results and adding (or not adding) chemicals on my own without the pool store's blessing. So thank you all for that.

I still use my pool builder to open and close my pool just because it's so much less of a hassle. This year I told them not to replace my DuoClear cartridge (I already took out the metal bag) but completely forgot that they typically add algaecide along with chlorine upon startup.

Which brings me to my issue. I suspect they must have used a copper based algaecide. My spa spills over into the pool, and despite 1 week post opening, it is still foaming at the entry site. My Taylor test kit for CH suffers from a fading endpoint (never before did I have this problem).

So... do I just let this go and hopefully work itself out over the next week or so? (Hopefully?) Throw in some metal sequestrant? Kind of a bummer since it's made the spa, the only reason I'd open the pool this early, essentially unusable. The amount of foam with the jets on high... kind of ridiculous.

For completeness' sake, here are the rest of my numbers. Working on the borates and CYA. Water crystal clear aside from where it foams upon entry from the spa. Pretty consistent since opening.

Salt - 3200 ppm
FC - 4 ppm
CC - 0
pH - 7.5
Alkalinity - 90 ppm
Borates - 36 ppm
CH - 200 ppm
CYA - 35 ppm

Thanks for your help!

 

[Richard320]

Foaming is common with algaecides, but that doesn't mean it has to be copper-based. Is there some reason you can't call the pool guy and ask him what he put in? Then you'll know. And if it isn't copper, you won't need sequestrant, and chlorine will eventually oxidize the stuff away and end the foaming.

 

[JasonLion]

The kinds of algaecide that foam do not have copper. The foaming will go away in roughly a week.

 

[matso]

I've tried calling, but between working shifts and their still off-season hours, haven't managed to get ahold of them. Admittedly only tried twice (and again just now), but was calling really just to ask about when the foaming would stop. You're right though, probably shouldn't assume copper until I can get a definitive answer. Save me the cost of adding sequestrant. Perhaps the fading endpoint with the CH test is coming from something else. If I manage to get an answer I'll report back. Thanks for the reply.

 

[smackdab]

If the algaecide is what is causing the foaming then it would have to be Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride. ADBAC is an ammonium based quatanery algaecide and the chlorine will eventually break it down. They are terrible about foaming and leaving a black grease like skum in the skimmer but other than that no worries.